1. Title of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buckle comprising a plug attached to one end of a belt and a socket attached to the other end of the belt, the plug and the socket being releasably engageable with each other to join both ends of the belt together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A typical buckle of the type described is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 51-1934. The disclosed buckle comprises a plug and a socket releasably engageable with the plug. The plug includes a rectangular frame-like belt attaching portion and an arrow-like plug proper integrally extending therefrom and having engaging shoulders on its opposed sides. The socket includes a box-like socket body having an opening in the front end for receiving the plug therethrough; a pair of catch plates rotatably mounted at their middles on the opposed sides of the socket body and having at their respective front ends engaging prongs; and a wire spring normally urging the rear ends of the catch plates in the direction that the catch plates rotate so as to move their respective prongs towards each other. The catch plates have on their respective outer sides grip portions which are exposed through the cutouts formed in the opposed sides of the socket for permitting the wearer to operate the catch plates.
For coupling together the plug and the socket, the plug is forced through the opening into the socket and wedge the catch plates against the bias of the tortion coil spring until the engaging shoulders of the plug comes into snapping engagement with the prongs of the catch plates. For uncoupling the plug and the socket, compressing the grip plates of the catch plates against the bias of the spring would cause the engaging prongs to come out of engagement with the engaging shoulders of the plug.
However, the conventional buckle of this type has suffered from drawbacks in that the socket includes at least as many parts as four; that is, a socket body, a pair of catch plates and a coil tortion spring. The more is the number of the parts, the more expensive is the buckle as a whole and the more is the number of steps of assemblage.